Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-02
MIS-. suARr.s soRno,r.
She Tells or Her Long Happy Life
with the Convicted Man.
Nav York World


New York world.l
Only twice during recent wears has favor
been shown TO prisoners IN Ludlow.Street
Jail 60 the extent Of allowing = mans vile
to share his imprisonment. Both OF these
exceptions were m notable cases. The
Grst was when gay, handsome. fashionable
Mrs. Ferdinand Ward remained with her
husband 10 nurse him through the illness
which overlook him there. The second
case Is that at present before our eyes-the
frail, loving old wife OF Jacob sharp sharing
bis confinement.
To one upon whom such burden has
never come the presence OF Mrs. sharp IN
the county Jail with her convicted hus.
band seems only most natural and epy
thing, nut II j. proving 10 her q burden al
most greater than she can bear. Mrs. Sbirp
rtpsius beside her husband every night
ard all night-sittng by his bedside eager
y anticipating bis every wish.
5000 gave ne my dear hl,b1nd,' she
Avs 10 ali who try to comfort her. "and Ne
has Civ u us great happiness together.
iiust Il'm."
Mis-. Sharp Is a delicate womln, dirn'tied
and ch ming for one who mu,i certainly
De nearly seventy yelr- old. Wien woman
aud a ,Iau2cr sent In card Nedncs1W
morning word came back nj once: Mr..
sharp GOES not remember the name, nut he
viii be glad To receive YOU" Aud when
The visitor entered the cheerful breakfast
room that looks out upon the courtyard
In the centre OF the jail Mrs. sharp stood
with band OutstTetched 20 a woman she sever
saw before.
"Wlai can do for YOU, MY chilI?" she
said.
There was no smile on the delicate, pale
face, a. q the voice was weak Aad almost
broken; but the look as we'll as the tone
was that of gentle woman whose first
thought, even in her trouble, was that she
could abe OF use" 10 some one else. The
unconventional speech made the converse
non that would so easily have been strain
ed natural and free. Mrs. Sharp very soon
,uoke 81 her " dear husband" a. s1e A.
Ways call, him, in the tenderest and most
unaffected Way. At the same time she
spoke fcelDgiy Of the burden that they
have been carrying together aud which
has seemed 50 unnecessarily severe.
"They/ are killing us both" she said
passionaicly. "Weare old people now, and
every stroke tells upon W." Mrs. Sharp
peak, Of herself in this way. rs il she were
very near the end Of the days she might OK.
peci 10 he granted her, but no one seeing
her for thc first time would think Of her as
being "Old." Indeed, mln who hI-
seen hcr q number Of times about the Jail
spoke Of her * beng about forty.eiynt or
fifty yesr, Of age. Her hair Il quite gray
now and Is worn in soft waves about her
face. lICr eyes are gray and clear, real wo-
manly eyes. Her nose is straight
and fine, and the whole type Of face is, as
near Is It may b. expressed, that
which is always recognized A. belong.
ing to "a New England lady" Not the
strong. determined New England woman's
face, but the quiet, refined, somewhat PEN
sivc couulcnance that follows years OF re-
preston, th0ughtiulno,s. and care. In
height Mrs. Sharp IL about five feet two or
three, ana in figure neither generous nor
slight. I'm short. taken all III all, the wife
Of this man, whose name - on every
tongue, j. Just the woman whom bis dis.
grace most cruelty Lurts. but whose love
will OutlaSt il all. DIgnihed, sympathetic,
loving, aud Christian woman, ii is small
wonder that the bond between them should
De so elise. How close TIN, bond has been
Ms. Sbll'. own words tell best. Speak
lGS Of tor happy lie together she said:
"Wel ayc been so happy, my dear hu,-
band and I. He has bCCa cycrJ thing 10 me
that = woman could a>k or desire. Nv
cvGy Wisr, ny slightest fancy. il has al.
WAYS been hjs pleasure 10 fulfil. ON, W
lad been looking forward so - next year
Fifty VcaI> we should have Dccl mgrricI
the 23d al next March,
- Should have been Mrs. Sh9rp?"
"Yes. yes. should have BEEN II l.
killing NV dear husband before ms cvc,.
this terrible trouble; and know that il
anything should happen To HIN | should
soon 90 TOO. We have been happy to-
long for one TO be content without the
other now
"But surely Won do not feel 50 seriously
alarmed about Mr. Snarp's condition. lie
i, not worse?"
"Not worse perhaps IN one WY, but he
ls so weak No one but myself aud hi-
physicians know how weak. lie has been
80 brave about ii-So almost fOoli,hly
brave. II has seemed sometimes to me a.
II he did not re ilIZr what il meant; hc Ia,
been so strict about allowing anything TO
be done rhlt couli possibly be construed
into 2 desire for effect. lie hl> not allowed
ne 20 20 to the count room for fear partly
Of the effect il would have on me aud
partly ior fear it would seem like irving
10 Great, sympathy. He hA, sat bolt up.
right in his seat fJr hours when he Wis
positively unfit to be out Of hi. bed, aaI he
has been as CHEEKY and As helpful % M a,
be could DE. Not even b. me has h3 com.
PINNED q the unnecessary tbing, that
have beer done TO make lhc disgrace NOR.
jcopand !niamou,.'
Even while she talked, Mrs. sham keq'
glancme auXiOu>N a. The room Ohcr,iI
Fer husband wa trying yaluly TO get liz
lie rest. A. She finished speaking tn
trim young woman, who had been iyinl
The table, notiouCd TO her, but Mrs. : Ilrp
waved her away. II seemed - If IL were
a relief 10 her to speak and SPEAK freely.
"Oh, ii they only knew him r. 'nDv
him" shc continued. 81 nave been hi,
wife for nearly fifty gears, and h1ye been
BIZ, confidential friend a, well. bat have
never known him to even think Cd dolp.
lrylhine hat was not honorable. Even
10 the most trivial things be hs blicyog
bat what re has sid he would do, he must
do. and tiat be- would not say h. would G1
iuything that was not r2Gt. Iir Ag. been
aonOr Itself. lie has pracficc1 alNaS, what
be preached, and he has tried 20 bring up
MS Children TO believe and act a, ne dlc..'
" Before ! 90, Mr.. sharp" said the
visitor, warmly, "i' there anything that ! |
7 any cue else could 90 Tor yJu:'
Nothing nothing. | thank yCu for
'oming. II has been q comfort 10 me.
Ihey have been very con,idcrlte and kind
o Us here, but il Is a horrible substitute |
or cur home. No; there are only two |
'cIp> tor nay de.T husband and myself noT |
Inc f. fhc lifting Of Thu terrible black cloud |
I'D tie other is--dcith for Us both"
ElTCFRIC MOTOR 4 SUCCESS.